5 Easy Ways to Handle Conflict at Work

This week’s Fierce resource was originally published by Inc and explores five ways to handle conflict at work.

Conflict isn’t always a bad thing. Challenging a colleague’s opinion and “interrogating their reality,” as Fierce CEO Susan Scott would say, can produce amazing business results. It is important to know how to have these conversations tactfully to avoid a full-blown argument that accomplishes little. Great leaders know how to facilitate these conversations and set aside ego while practicing patience and self-awareness.

Per Geoffrey James, Inc, some tips for handling conflict at the office are:

1. Pick your battles carefully. Although no one should be exempt from these difficult conversations, from the intern to the CEO, it is always best to choose them carefully. It is devastating to the individual and their colleagues if everything turns into a conflict.

2. Admit when you’re wrong. A common mistake for new managers is the feeling that they must always be right or else have their leadership questioned down the road and “loose face.” In reality, people respond to someone that is willing to listen to others and be convinced their opinion is wrong. The inability to do so is a sign of insecurity and weakness.

3. Assume other people have good intentions. Assuming the worst in people’s motives and behavior only makes life more miserable for the person creating these assumptions.